Thanksgiving for the Memories
by Sgt.Pepperony
Summary: Sorry for the pun. The team reminisce about a Thanksgiving five years previously where Pepper's mother meets the team for the first time, a critical culinary error is made, and Tony pushes Pepper too far. K plus for implied language. *Complete*
1. Chapter One

**Title:** Thanksgiving for the Memory **  
><strong>**Author:** Sgt. Pepperony  
><strong>Fandom: <strong>Avengers (MCU)  
><strong>Rating:<strong> K plus for drunkenness  
><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>I do not own the Avengers, characters. Property of Marvel and Disney. Also I am not American nor from anywhere where Thanksgiving is celebrated. Most of this is what I have gotten from research and from American sitcoms. Thank god F.R.I.E.N.D.S is relentlessly repeated all the time.

**So, as the disclaimer said: non-American writing a story about Thanksgiving. I do apologise if I miss out anything. This is basically the gang reminiscing Wanda and Pietro's first Thanksgiving. Details are in the summary so let's get cracking. Also I may blur the lines between past and present by doing the past in italics and the present in normal but with parentheses – these things: (). **

**Also, apologies for the title; it's a very lame pun on the Fall Out Boy song 'Thnks fr the Mmrs (Thanks for the Memories)'. Like seriously… Sorry. Also I apologise for my sense of humour.**

Chapter One

"I'm not going to be able to move off this couch," Clint commented. Pepper and Jane had cooked the Thanksgiving meal to end all Thanksgiving meals with the turkey and the trimmings plus some requested extras. Now he was lying on the couch with his head pillowed on Natasha's thigh, Tony was sitting on the floor in front of them while Jane was sitting on Thor's lap with Steve beside them and Pepper occupying the recliner. "That was the best Thanksgiving meal ever."

"I think you two might have killed us," said Tony.

"I'll take that as a thank you," Pepper responded.

"There you go, that is the thing I am thankful for."

"I'm thankful that after three years of research, I have my paper on dark matter published," Jane said.

"I am thankful that I have friends who are amazing cooks," added Thor.

"As usual I am thankful for pizza," said Clint.

"I'm just thankful that I can be with people I actually like for once," Natasha stated.

"You actually like Stark?" asked Bruce. Tony looked a little offended.

"He has his charms. I think it might be obvious what Rogers is thankful for."

"What that I have a wife and a baby on the way?" he asked. Wanda then decided to come in at that moment with two pies, one pumpkin, and the other pecan. "Sure I am completely thankful."

"I feel as though I have missed something," Wanda stated looking confused.

"We were just saying what we were thankful for and why do you have two pies?" asked Jane.

"I'm hungry."

"You just had a large meal."

"Yeah but I am pregnant with his kid," Wanda justified by pointing at Steve. "This baby absorbs about sixty-percent of what I eat."

"Are you going to eat both pies?" asked Thor looking tempted.

"I think I might stick to the pumpkin. You can have the pecan if you wish."

"Well, we definitely know it is a super solider baby," Tony commented.

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Steve.

"I'm just saying that both of your genetics are fighting it out to see whose abilities it inherited."

"He has got a point," Wanda added as she flopped beside Steve.

"If this is what is happening to Wanda with a super solider baby then lord knows what an Asgardian baby is going to be like," Jane thought. "I have to admit considering the last Thanksgiving I attended here I am surprised at how smoothly this year has gone."

"Why what happened the last time you were here?" asked Natasha.

"Let's see, Tony embarrassing himself in front of my mother, a trifle full of sage and onion stuffing, and Wanda's head ending up in the toilet was the climax," Pepper summarised.

"I think I am going to need more elaboration on this," said Clint just about managing to sit up and straighten out his hearing aids.

"Yeah, I do not remember my head being in the toilet," Wanda said.

"Yeah, there was a reason for that," Tony commented.

"I think I vaguely remember coming back on Black Friday to see a hungover Wanda," said Natasha. "Beyond that I cannot remember much."

"This is going to take a while to explain but it was the first Thanksgiving with the twins," Bruce began…

-o-

Five Years Earlier

_"__Tony can you please leave your tinkering alone now? My mother is going to be here in an hour and it would be nice if you could keep her company while Jane and I do the food," Pepper sighed when she walked into the workshop finding Bruce and Tony working on what looked to be a new upgrade for JARVIS._

_"__Pep, I will be up soon. I just need to finish this upgrade."_

_"__How long is that going to take?"_

_"__About as long as it will take to decide whether this voice recognition application is a good idea."_

_"__It's a good idea. It will stop people from trying to hack JARVIS for information."_

_"__The thing is that we are not sure how many people to include," Bruce interrupted. _

_"__You could always do it later." _

_"__If you give us ten minutes. Why don't you introduce me last? Always save the best until last," Tony suggested. _

_Pepper sighed, "Okay ten minutes. I need to get back to the turkey."_

_Once Pepper was gone, Bruce asked, "Have you met Pepper's mother before?"_

_"__Nope," Tony shook his head. _

_"__Are you scared?"_

_"__The last time I met a girlfriend's parents, it went as well as Prince Harry going to a fancy dress party in that Nazi uniform."_

_"__What did you do?"_

_"__I really do not want to talk about it.__As much as I am a genius, sometimes I do not think before I say things."_

_"__That is a given."_

-o-

_"__So what exactly is Thanksgiving? I mean what is its significance in American culture?" Wanda asked Jane when Jane was furiously mixing in the salt for the mash potatoes._

_"__It celebrates the time when the Native Americans shared their food with the early settlers," Jane answered. _

_"__And then we repaid them by genociding them and shipping them off to the crappy real estate settlements," Darcy added while she was reading a magazine on the table._

_"__I do not think that genociding is a word Darcy," said Wanda._

_"__Genocide is not even a verb," added Jane._

_"__Why are we talking about genocide?" Pietro asked coming into the kitchen._

_"__I-" Wanda began to say before Darcy interrupted and walked up to Pietro. _

_"__Hi I am Darcy."_

_"__Hi Darcy, I'm Pietro. Wanda's twin brother."_

_"__So … I heard that you are like super-fast."_

_"__Yeah … I am."_

_"__Um, Darcy," Jane interrupted. _

_"__What?" _

_"__I think Wanda wanted to speak to her brother."_

_"__It is fine Jane, I do not mind," Wanda insisted._

_"__I just came in here because I was looking for something to do," Pietro explained. "Need any help with the cooking?"_

_"__No, Pepper and I have everything under control," Jane answered. _

_"__How much food is there?" Pietro looked at the side with the stack on ingredients on the sides. _

_"__Potatoes three ways, turkey, brisket, yams, loads of vegetables and two pies for desert."_

_"__Yeah, I have a feeling that most of it is going to be going into yours, Steve's and Thor's stomach," Darcy said. _

_"__Speaking of whom, Thor and Steve are watching the football game in the lounge if you are interested," Jane suggested._

_"__I'll show him," Darcy declared leading Pietro to the elevator._

_"__What was that about?" asked Wanda._

_"__Darcy has a vagina and your brother is hot."_


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

_"__Do we have to watch football during this celebration of Thanksgiving?" asked Thor while he and Steve had their well-defined butts on the couch._

("Is well-defined butts really the way you want to go with this Jane?" asked Steve.

"Darcy's words, not mine.")

_"__If it keeps us out the way of Pepper and Jane in the kitchen and Stark and Banner in the workshop, we have to watch something. The only movie that is on is _The Wizard of Oz_and according to Stark that movie is only reserved for Christmas."_

_"__Why would they put it on today then?"_

_"__I have a feeling Stark may have been messing about with me when he said it."_

_"__What else is new?"_

_"__Hey, Pietro is looking for something to do," Darcy announced coming into the lounge. "Is there a chance he could watch the game with you?" _

_"__If he wants to," Steve answered. _

_"__You are more than welcome to join us Pietro," Thor added._

_"__Thanks, I'll just sit down," Pietro said sitting on the other couch. _

_"__Have fun," Darcy said leaving with a wink._

_"__So, who is playing?"_

_"__Bears and Lions," answered Steve. _

_"__Are they actual names of professional football teams?"_

_"__Chicago and Detroit. Does that make you feel better?"_

_"__A little bit. They sound less like something a nine year old would name their rock band."_

_"__Who are we supporting to win?" asked Thor._

_"__I have a ten dollar bet running with Stark that the Bears win," answered Steve._

_-o-_

_"__What is the score on the game?" asked Tony._

_"__Bears are up," Bruce answered. _

_"__Damn it."_

_"__Anyway, are we going to get this thing done so that we can get upstairs and join the party?"_

_"__Yeah, just give us a moment or twenty."_

_"__May I ask you something?"_

_"__Knock yourself out."_

_"__I know you are trying to avoid meeting Pepper's mother-"_

_"__Well I can hardly avoid her seeing as I will have to eat with her in about three hours or so."_

_"__Okay, you are delaying meeting Pepper's mother. So outside the fear of humiliating yourself in front of her mother, are you scared of meeting your girlfriend's mother?"_

_"__Not scared. I just don't want to be bombarded with a load of questions and none of them can be answered by looking at my Wikipedia page."_

_"__Of course you have a Wikipedia page."_

_"__I think we all do. I took some time to do some editing on a couple."_

_"__This is why I do not use Wikipedia."_

_"__I don't think I am the reason you do not use Wikipedia."_

_"__True. Why don't you use your Stark charm offensive? It usually works. Hell Pietro and you are friends."_

_"__Road Runner and I are not exactly friends. We are just civil for Wanda's sake."_

_"__Okay, fine. If you are just going to delay meeting your mother then you can finish this program yourself."_

_"__Guys are you still down here?" Jane called._

_"__I'll be up in a moment Jane," Bruce called back._

_"__What are you doing?" she asked coming into the workshop._

_"__Upgrading JARVIS so only those whose voice the system recognises can access him," Tony answered. "Want to help?"_

_"__I can barely change the ringtone on my phone let alone work on a system like this."_

_"__Fair enough."_

_Jane went to leave when she saw something in the corner, "What is that machine for?"_

_"__That was my attempt to scan the universe beyond the edge of the solar system to find new planets," Tony answered. "That was from my MIT years."_

_"__So it is about nine-hundred years old," Bruce added. _

_"__It stopped working about two years after my parents died and I have not found the motivation to fix it. Also I kept getting told off because it was not accurate."_

_"__Maybe I could help with placing the location of certain stars, constellations and planets if you want."_

_"__Great, let's start fixing it."_

_"__Tony –" Bruce began._

_"__I'm sure JARVIS will alert me once the mother-in-law arrives."_

_"__Fine whatever."_

_"__To be honest I need to get back to helping Pepper with the dinner," said Jane._

_"__It will probably take five minutes for me to fix."_

_"__Okay. Five minutes won't hurt."_

-o-

_Pepper let out a really loud groan as she felt the frustration and stress of trying to prepare the meal on her own. Darcy had disappeared and Wanda was peeling potatoes for the roast potatoes. _

_"__Are you okay?" asked Wanda._

_"__Jane has gone AWOL so I am pretty much left to cook the turkey, the brisket, the potatoes and all the vegetables by myself and my mother is going to be here in about half an hour."_

_"__Um, do you need me to help?"_

_"__Can you do the brisket?"_

_"__Sure. Once I am done with the potatoes but that will be five minutes." Pepper grabbed the bottle of wine from the side and poured a glass. "Should you really be drinking alcohol when you are cooking?"_

_"__Nope but it is the only thing that will calm me down. Want some?"_

_"__Go on then. Cannot say I am much of a drinker but it is a holiday."_

_"__I'm not even sure how to cook a brisket. I just added it for variety."_

_"__Ah, luckily I have a recipe memorized about making kosher brisket. You do have some garlic cloves right?"_

_"__They should be in the fridge."_

_"__Ms Potts, I have a woman telling me that she is your mother in the lobby. Do you want me to send her up?" JARVIS asked._

_"__She's not supposed to be here for half an hour."_

_"__I can keep an eye on the food if you want to meet your mother downstairs. You'll only be five minutes right?"_

_"__Hopefully. JARVIS can you tell Tony that he needs to get his ass out the workshop now?"_

_"__I certainly will."_

_-o-_

_"__Sir, the wind is in the east."_

_"__What does that mean?" asked Jane. _

_"__Pepper's mother is here."_

_"__I take it this means we have to go upstairs now."_

_"__We might have five more minutes."_

_"__Actually Ms Potts was insistent that you should come out of the workshop now."_

_"__Well, I did say she could save the best for last."_

("As if I was not stressed enough," said Pepper.

"Who knew meeting the mother in law would inject fear into Stark," Natasha commented.

"I was not scared.")


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

_"__Wanda this is my mother Lorraine," Pepper introduced her mother to Wanda who had just put the brisket in the oven. "Mom, this is Wanda. She is a friend."_

_"__Nice to meet you Mrs Potts," Wanda held her hand out to shake the older woman's. _

_"__Funny I have yet to hear of you Wanda. You look very young," Mrs Potts commented. "Virginia are you sure that you did not adopt a child without telling me?"_

_"__I would have told you if I adopted a child," Pepper responded. "Wanda and her twin brother Pietro moved to New York State under a year ago and they help out at the company that Tony sometimes helps at."_

_"__Sometimes," Wanda added. _

_"__Well, we could always do with another person blowing up bad guys while making the tax payer pay for the damage."_

_"__I-"_

_"__Okay we need to let Wanda finish the potatoes," Pepper interrupted leading her mother out of the kitchen leaving Wanda confused. "Mom, can you not bring up anything to do with the Avengers? It's just that these are normal people who just want to spend Thanksgiving together. It's also the twins' first Thanksgiving so I want it to be as smooth as possible."_

_"__She seemed pleasant enough."_

_"__She's lovely. She just needs a supportive family network." Once in the lounge, Pepper stood in front of the men watching the screen. "Guys this is my mother. Mom this is Pietro – Wanda's brother – Thor and Steve."_

_Thor and Steve stood to shake Mrs Potts's hand while Pietro just waved as he was fixated on the screen. _

_"__Nice to meet you Mrs Potts," said Steve._

_"__Well, it is nice to know the younger generation have not lost any sense of curtsy." Pietro snorted a little causing Pepper to give him a stern glare. "Is something I said funny?""_

_"__Nothing, I was laughing at one of the jokes the commentator just made," Pietro lied. _

_"__I see."_

_"__That boyfriend of yours said he should be up in a moment. Though a moment to him is about half a century," said Bruce coming into the lounge. _

_"__Ah, Mom, that is Dr Banner. Bruce this is my mother Lorraine."_

_"__Nice to meet you," Bruce offered his hand to shake. _

_"__Are you an M.D.?" asked Mrs Potts._

_"__Everyone seems to think I am but I deal with gamma radiation mainly. Though I appear to be the only person who is qualified to admit first aid."_

_"__Hence why everyone seems to think your degree is in medicine," Thor commented. _

_"__Yeah. That's why."_

_"__Anyway, where is Tony, Jane and Darcy?" asked Pepper._

_"__Tony decided to fix something he made at MIT and Jane is helping him. Darcy I have no idea where she is."_

_"__I'm going to kill him," Pepper thought. "Boys, can you let my mother sit down, I just need to go to the bathroom." _

_"__Sure," Pietro said putting his legs down so Mrs Potts could sit._

_"__Stark you are so dead," Bruce thought._

-o-

_"__Can you pass me the three quarter wrench?" Tony asked Jane from under his machine._

_"__Where are the wrenches?" asked Jane looking in the tool boxes._

_"__ANTHONY EDWARD STARK!" Tony jumped and hit his head off the bottom of the machine._

_"__Ow you mother-"_

_"__What the hell are you doing?" Pepper shouted coming into the workshop. Tony rolled from under the machine and sat up rubbing his head. "My mother is here and you are messing about with something that has not worked in twenty-five years?"_

_"__Pep, I can explain," Tony held his hands up defensively._

_"__It's my fault. I got curious about what this thing is," Jane explained. _

_"__Right, upstairs the pair of you now!" _

_Jane ran to the elevator. Tony got up still rubbing his head, "Pepper, I know you have been stressed about this meal-"_

_"__You are not exactly helping. My mom is upstairs watching football, probably waiting to ask when the hell we are going to get married."_

_"__That is what you are stressed about?" _

_"__My parents are one of those people who expect you to be married before you have a child."_

_"__Well, you are not pregnant so I don't think we have to worry about that. You're not pregnant right?"_

_"__No I am not."_

_"__Well, at least it is not hormones," Tony thought. "Okay, just let me clean up and I will be up."_

_"__Okay," Pepper said just standing with her arms folded. _

_"__Aren't you going back upstairs?"_

_"__Wanda is keeping an eye on the food. I can wait for you to get cleaned up. I'm not taking any chances this time."_


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

_When Pepper left, it had left the lounge with a silence with no one sure about how to break it._

_"__So what does the quarterback do? I keep watching shows where the quarterback is the most important player," Pietro asked._

_"__They lead the offensive, they grab the ball to allow the other players to score the points," Steve answered._

_"__Which are the Bears?" asked Thor._

_"__The ones in dark blue and orange."_

_"__What is the purpose of the game?" asked Mrs Potts._

_"__To score the most points by the end of the fourth quarter."_

_"__Is this really a tradition on Thanksgiving just to watch men hit each other just to get a ball?" asked Pietro. _

_"__Apparently," Bruce answered. _

_"__Okay," Pepper sighed walking into the living room following by Tony. "Mom, this is Tony Stark, my partner. Tony this is my mother Lorraine." _

_"__Ah, so this is the infamous Tony Stark," Mrs Potts stood._

_"__Yeah…" Tony nervously offered his hand out to shake it. "It's nice to meet you Lorraine."_

_"__Hmm, I'd say you picked a good one Virginia." _

_"__I tend to agree," Tony said. _

_"__Okay, now that you have been introduced, I am going to check on the food," said Pepper. _

_"__Don't leave me," Tony thought hoping Pepper would have some sort of telepathy. _

("That does not sound that awkward," Natasha commented.

"Trust us when we say it gets worse from here on in," Thor replied.)

-o-

_"__Think of it this way, she wants to spend Thanksgiving with you," Jane said putting the potatoes on the roasting tin. _

_"__I know but now I have to deal with her for more than I want to."_

_"__Yeah, that sounds like my mother. I can only deal with her for only a couple of hours."_

_"__She seemed nice," Wanda inputted. _

_"__I'm just not prepared for the Spanish Inquisition on mine and Tony's relationship. When is Tony going to propose? When is the wedding? When are we going to have kids?"_

_"__When is he going to propose?" asked Wanda. _

_"__Yeah, when is he going to propose?" asked Jane._

_"__This is exactly what I am talking about."_

_"__Don't worry about it. At least she does not sound like my best friend's mother who is constantly trying to set her up."_

_"__Doesn't every woman in a relationship want to get married?" Wanda asked. _

_ "__Not me. I prefer to just be in a relationship. Marriage complicates everything."_

_"__Just ignore her, she's still getting over her parent's divorce," Darcy commented coming into the kitchen._

_"__From when I was twelve?"_

_"__Yeah."_

_"__Where the hell have you been?" asked Pepper._

_"__Taking a nap. I thought it would pass some time."_

_Pepper sighed and left the kitchen with Darcy following her._

_"__Wanda, how many glasses of wine have you drunk?" asked Jane._

_"__Two and a half?"_

_"__Just slow down. We have two hours before dinner."_

_"__It's just wine. It will not do me much damage."_

(What is so funny Stark?" asked Wanda

"You do not remember anything do you?"

"Vaguely."

"How could you not remember anything?" asked Clint.

"I've either repressed it or I was that drunk. I really hope it was the former.")

-o-

_"__So did you begin your relationship before or after you promoted her to CEO?" Mrs Potts asked Tony._

_"__I think I need a drink," Bruce murmured getting up and moving to the bar. _

_"__After. Before that it was strictly employer-employee with boundaries. I always maintain personal boundaries."_

_"__Who's boundaries?" Steve mimed to Thor. Thor shrugged in response._

_"__Well, I do admire that in men. A lot men do not seem to get boundaries exist," Mrs Potts said. _

_Tony really did not know how to respond. All thoughts just kept going through his head, "Talk about how much a value Pepper is to the company... Ask where she got the jacket from… Say her earrings look nice."_

_Unfortunately, all the memories of him messing up with his last serious girlfriend came back and then he blurted out, "It's nice to know that not everyone walks around in their bra singing Beyoncé songs at the top of their lungs."_

_There was a loud audible slap as Bruce face-palmed hard, Thor and Steve's eyebrows widened in shock and Pietro tried to hold in a laugh._


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

_By the time dinner was ready, Tony had sworn himself to silence to avoid embarrassing himself further. Mrs Potts seemed to see the funny side but he kept kicking himself internally for repeating what he said to another mother of a serious relationship._

_"__Are you sure that is enough turkey for all of us?" asked Mrs Potts when Pepper put the turkey on the dining room table._

_"__It is fine, Jane, Wanda and Pietro are having the brisket," Pepper explained._

_"__We're Jewish," Pietro added._

_"__I thought you could not eat pork."_

_"__We can eat turkey. It's just that Pepper used butter under the skin and there is a dietary law about milk and meat," Jane explained. "Basically we're not allowed to eat meat feast pizzas." _

_"__Tony do you want to carve?" Pepper offered the carving knife to Tony._

_"__Sure," Tony said apprehensively. _

_"__Tony are you okay?" _

_"__Yeah, probably just wondering what Beyoncé's next single is going to be," Bruce commented causing Steve to snort into his water and Tony to glare. _

_"__Huh?" asked Darcy._

_"__It's nothing," Tony stated taking the knife. _

_"__Stark said a dumb thing to Mrs Potts," Thor explained. _

_"__Alright, comedy is over."_

_"__You do have to see the funny side of it," Steve said._

_"__I am so confused," Wanda slurred a little._

_"__You need to slow down," Pietro whispered._

_"__What are you my brother?"_

_"__Okay, that is enough," Pepper said taking the wine from Wanda._

_"__Hey."_

_"__It's fine Anthony, you are not the first of Virginia's boyfriends to say something stupid in front of me," Mrs Potts explained. _

_"__Oh god, what did you say?" asked Pepper preparing for the worst. _

_"__Can I answer that?" asked Pietro eagerly. Tony pointed the knife at him warningly. _

_"__Are we actually going to eat?" asked Thor. _

_"__Yeah, let's just drop this whole Beyoncé thing and eat," Steve said not wanting to humiliate Tony further._

_"__Tony, what did you say to my mother that involved Beyoncé?"_

_"__Did you say that Pepper's ass has nothing on Beyoncé's? I am inclined to disagree," Darcy inputted. _

_"__Ignore her," said Jane. In the meantime, Wanda had started humming 'Baby Got Back' causing Mrs Potts, Tony, Pepper and Pietro to look at her. _

_"__Oh god she is completely smashed," Bruce thought_

_"__Wanda, are you okay?" asked Steve out of concern. _

_"__I'm fine baby – Steve," Wanda answered with slight raise of her eyebrows. _

_"__How much has she drank?" asked Thor._

_"__I told her to slow down about an hour ago, but this must be the sixth glass," Jane answered. _

_"__Okay, I said to your mother that it's nice to know that not everyone walks around in their bra singing Beyoncé songs at the top of their lungs," Tony finally explained. _

_"__Is that it?" asked Pepper. "Well it is not so bad though I do wonder what your thought process was before coming up with that."_

_"__Clearly there was none," Bruce murmured._

_"__Can we carve this damn turkey now? I'm starving," Darcy said. _

_"__What she said," Thor pointed. _

_"__Okay, I will now carve this turkey." All of a sudden the lights went out. "Oh what now!"_

-o-

_"__It might be the program I tried to upload caused a power surge," Tony explained coming back into the dining room where everyone had started eating. Wanda on the other hand seemed to be more interested in poking the meat. "Wanda, you might want to eat the brisket."_

_"__I will, I just got to figure out how to eat it."_

_"__Has she ever been drunk before?" Mrs Potts asked Steve._

_"__I don't think so."_

_"__Explains a lot."_

("I am trying to understand how Stark saying something without thinking to your mother-in-law is more humiliating in comparison to Wanda getting completely hammered," said Clint.

"Oh trust me, it gets worse," said Bruce.

"Why did no one think to take the wine away from me?" asked Wanda.

"We did, you just kept grabbing it back ninja style like Tony back in that trip to Vegas," Pepper explained.

"I don't think she needs any elaboration," Tony murmured.

"I was there," said Wanda.)

_"__Okay, I am going to get the desert," said Jane getting up._

_"__What is for desert?" asked Darcy._

_"__Trifle," answered Steve. "I think."_

_"__It is a trifle. Wanda made it," answered Pepper. Wanda beamed proudly. _

_"__I'm worried," Bruce whispered to Thor. _

_"__I am sure it will be fine," Thor responded. Five minutes later, Jane had brought down the trifle with a very worried look on her face. "You might have a right to be worried."_

_The trifle had a layer of sponge, jam, custard, sage and onion stuffing, custard again, bananas and whipped cream._

_"__I need to go to the bathroom," said Bruce._

_"__As do I," Thor stated as the both got up and walked out of the dining room. _

_"__Okay we might have to just eat it."_

_"__Do we?"_

_"__She looked so proud of what she did, I don't want to wreck it for her. Plus she is that drunk I don't know how erratic her emotions are."_

_"__How are you going to tell the others?" _

_Bruce fiddled into his pockets only pulling out his phone and earphones, "I think I might have an idea. Just follow my lead." Bruce walked into the dining room and approached Wanda. "Hey Wanda, I have a song that I think you like. Fancy a listen?"_

_"__Sure," Wanda hiccupped._

_"__You have to promise that you have to keep listening for the whole song. You cannot take the earphones out." Wanda nodded and Bruce placed the earphones in her ears while everyone looked confused. Once Bruce pressed play and turned the volume up, he knew he had four and a half minutes to explain the situation. "Okay, I know that it does not look appetizing, but we are going to have to eat the trifle."_

_"__Are you serious?" asked Darcy. _

_"__She's drunk, she probably thought the stuffing mix was to make more sponge."_

_"__Plus she looked very proud of her desert," Thor added. _

_"__Exactly, can we just fake that we enjoy this or be at risk of a potential mess of a human."_

_"__Considering how pissed she is, I don't think she is going to remember it," Tony commented. _

("The funny thing is, you were absolutely right," Wanda told Tony with an ashamed look on her face. "I have no recollection of this at all."

"Six large glasses of wine will do that," Pepper commented.

"At least someone liked it," Jane said looking at Thor.)

_"__It might not be that bad," said Steve looking a little hopeful. _

**Tomorrow will be the last chapter in this story, and prepare for some cuteness. **


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

_"__I have a theory that Asgardians must have a different sense of taste to humans. That can explain why Thor had three helpings of that desert," Steve told Bruce and Darcy while they were watching the parade from the balcony. _

_"__He could have just been overly polite," Bruce said._

_"__No, I've seen him dip Pop Tarts® into English mustard," said Darcy. "He liked the trifle."_

_"__Fair enough."_

_Inside, Tony was trying to fix power from inside the workshop meaning that he was not upstairs where he should be, which had caused Pepper to snap._

_"__Tony, I know the power needs fixing, but can you come upstairs and spend some time with my mother."_

_"__I'm nearly done. Just give me ten minutes."_

_"__No, I will not. You are going to get your butt upstairs sit on the couch and talk to my mother now!" Tony sighed and grumbled. "You know you could act less like a child and actually like someone who wants to be in a serious relationship."_

_"__I am in a serious relationship. I live with you, I love you. Is that enough?" Pepper scowled at his comment walked passed him and back to the elevator. "Pep, honey!"_

_Trying to compose herself, once she got to the lounge she walked over to the bar. _

_"__Virginia, are you okay?" asked Mrs Potts._

_"__I'm fine mom. Honestly."_

_"__I think you might be expecting too much of Tony Stark. He does not seem the marriage type. Some people are more happy being significant others than being married. Marriage does complicate things a little and nowadays marriage is less the norm."_

_"__Perhaps you are right Mom. I'm just really angry at him. He knew today was important but he would rather just tinker with his machines."_

_"__He's a man. I think men would rather distract themselves than face reality."_

_"__It's not really much of an excuse Mom."_

_"__When you two are alone, talk it out. For now, I do not mind staying in a hotel."_

_"__Mom don't be-"_

_"__I insist. I think all your rooms will be full anyway."_

-o-

_"__Has anyone seen my sister?" asked Pietro coming onto the balcony._

_"__I have not seen here since dinner," answered Bruce. Steve shook his head._

_"__Me neither," answered Darcy. _

_"__Have you tried her bedroom?" asked Steve._

_"__Yes she is not there."_

_"__Okay, I will come and help you look for her," said Bruce._

_"__I will as well," said Darcy. _

_"__I'll have a look for her out here," Steve stated as the other three went back inside. "Wanda?"_

_"__Yes?" someone called back._

_"__Where are you?"_

_"__I'm right here," she said popping up from behind the plant pot. "I'm playing hide and seek with Pietro."_

_"__Does he know you are playing hide and seek?" he asked as she stumbled over to him. She shook her head with a smile on her face. "I think we might need to get you to bed."_

_"__I'm not sleepy though."_

_"__No but you are very drunk. Though props to you, you have managed to outdrink my friend Bucky on the first go and still remain conscious."_

_"__Your arms are huge. They are like the size of a new born baby."_

("When your kid is born, can we hold it up to Roger's bicep to compare?" asked Clint.

"What to make a betting pool out of that?" asked Natasha.

Wanda meanwhile looked more and more mortified as the Steve continued the story, especially as she had just started to remember what was coming next.)

_"__Yeah, I guess they are."_

_"__Your eyes have a bit of green in them."_

_"__Um, okay. At least your vision is not impaired."_

_"__And your lips look so plump and pink. I think I might have to…" Wanda leaned up to kiss him but he pulled back. "Don't you want to kiss me?"_

_"__You are just really drunk and I do not want to take advantage of you."_

_"__But…" Wanda then felt her stomach in her throat and ran to the plant pot to throw up. Steve ran over to her and pulled her hair back. _

_"__Hey did you find her?" asked Darcy only to be confronted with the sight of Wanda throwing up and Steve holding her hair back. "Found her."_

("Why did you ever marry me after that?" Wanda asked once Steve had finished.

"I could looked past the drunken come on and vomiting. You would not be like that every day.")

-o-

_Once he had got the power back up, Tony went to the elevator only to find Pietro holding a semi-conscious Wanda up. _

_"__Wow."_

_"__Can you help get her to bed?" _

_"__Yeah sure. What happened?" he asked getting into the lift._

_"__She threw up in the plant pot," Pietro answered trying not to drop Wanda. _

_"__You're a jerk with a stupid beard," Wanda slurred. _

_"__I think she might be talking to you."_

_"__That woman loves you to the end of the earth and wants to marry you but you won't ask her."_

_"__Hey it's not as though I do not want to," Tony responded. _

_"__They why don't you?"_

_"__Yeah, why don't you?" asked Pietro. _

_"__Look, can we get her down to her floor and to the bathroom before she throws up again. She looks green."_

-o-

_"__How is she?" asked Pepper when Tony sat on the bed. She did not even look up from the book she was reading._

_"__Stopped throwing up but she fell asleep on the bathroom floor so Speedy and I put her to bed. He's watching her in case she almost chokes on her vomit. Tomorrow is going to be interesting. First hangover and all."_

_"__Well, my mother made it back to the hotel alright. I did offer her a room to stay but she declined for obvious reasons."_

_"__I did apologise."_

_"__Well, she does not hate you. She at least understands that men can get nervous around their girlfriend's parents."_

_"__That is a relief I suppose. Though I do think I have pissed you off today."_

_"__I'm not pissed off."_

_"__Bump on the head says otherwise."_

_Pepper slammed her book shut and looked directly at Tony, "I am frustrated. I love you Tony but you do not make it easy sometimes. You know how much today was important and you decided to mess about in the workshop."_

_"__Are you sure that is the reason why you are frustrated? Wanda said there may be something else bothering you."_

_"__Yes that is the only reason."_

_"__Sorry."_

_"__Sorry is not enough!"_

_Tony was dumbfounded. All he could do was walk over to his sock draw and pull out a velvet box. "What are you doing?"_

_"__I have been trying to figure out the best way to do this. I was going to do it either Christmas or your birthday. Take you out to a fancy restaurant. I was going to do a great big speech and get the owners to play something corny like Make You Feel My Love in the background. At the end of the speech I was going to ask you to marry me. Hopefully you would say yes," Tony explained sitting on his knees in front of Pepper._

_"__What was the speech?"_

_"__Um… it's only a first draft but… I would have said how lucky I was falling in love with my best friend; that take you for granted a lot of the time – well all the time - and that is really all I had at that point."_

_"__Okay, I sort of forgive you."_

_"__The thing is, right here right now, all that does not matter. It does not really matter where or when I said it – even though I should have done it a lot sooner – all that really mattered was that you make me happy, when I never thought I could be happy in a committed relationship. You make me happier than I thought I could ever be." Pepper put her hand over her mouth trying to hold back the tears. Tony opened the box to reveal an infinity twisted embedded with emeralds. "Virginia Potts, will you marry me?"_

_"__Yes." Tony smiled and put the ring on her ring finger. Pepper cupped his face and pulled him in for a kiss. "By the way you cannot just propose every time you mess up." _

_"__Does this mean I have to close the tab I have a Tiffany's?"_

-o-

As the story was finished, Thor, Clint and Wanda had fallen asleep and everyone else but Tony and Pepper had gone out to watch the parade. They were at the bar getting some drinks for everyone and Pepper had been looking at her engagement ring.

"You know we haven't set a date for the wedding," Pepper stated.

"Wait we actually have to go through with this ceremony?" asked Tony. Pepper raised her eyebrow. "Okay, just kidding. Well, you've got some ideas on what the colour scheme, what sort of theme and where you want the wedding to be."

"We've got some ideas."

"_You've _got some ideas."

"Well, why don't you come up with a date?"

"Okay, next September. 21st."

"Good month. Not too hot, not too cold." The couple chinked there glasses together in agreement.

"Now about this pink and cream colour scheme-"

"We're keeping the colour scheme."

The End


End file.
